2019 Reading Goals: Read 52, Tackle the Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge, plus a new MJV experiment

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Yay. It is the first Bookish Thoughts Wednesday of 2019. And we are doing something new. 

Listen up. 

Go ahead, press play. 

The MJV Bookish Thoughts the Podcast Experiment

Yes.

So that was my lil‘ intro. MJV is embarking on a new beginning and we now have the MJV Bookish Thoughts the podcast experiment.  The first episode premieres on Wednesday 30 January 2019.

The full first episode, is it an episode?

Yeah, season one, episode one of the MJV Bookish Thoughts podcast experiment will premiere on Wednesday 30 January 2019. 

So what will I talk about on the podcast? Books, obviously. 

The podcast will be biweekly, one episode at the beginning a month and another at or close to the end of the month. I will discuss books, share my Goodreads reading goals, and other 2019 reading goals. Furthermore, I will curate reading lists and recommendations and I will also be able to go little deeper in my reviews. Yup, by deeper I mean spoilers.

MJV Bookish Thoughts Podcast Segments

The MJV  Bookish Thoughts podcast experiment core segments will include: 

• What I am currently reading.
• New releases on my radar.
• Book reviews.
• Book chats –  exploring themes and spoilers. 
• Curated book recommendations.
• And special feature segments such as the Q and A with book loving guests and the revised MJV Three Bookish Thoughts author interviews. 

The podcast experiment is new and it is evolving, nothing here is set, I will play around the format and the segments until I find some peace and feel good about the content I am creating. 

With that said, I also welcome suggestions, please listen on Wednesday 30 January 2019, I will share more on the MJV Facebook, Twitter, and IG when we are closer to the as the premiere date.

Furthermore, season one will run until April 2019. Then, there will be a two-month break. But more on this in the upcoming months. 

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My 2019 Reading Goals

52 books, a book each week. Easy, right? 

Well, perhaps not.

This year, I am also working harder to build my writing practice and as such as I am also reading with clearer intentions and with a monthly planned TBR. 

Are we Goodreads friends? If we’re not please add me to your friend list so we can talk more about books and exchange recommendations. 

The Book Riot Read Harder Challenge

In 2019, I am also participating in the 2019 Read Harder Challenge.  I hope to read some books that I would otherwise never pick up in 2019, books by new to me authors, works in translation, etc. 

You can download the printable tracker from Book Riot. The 24 challenges include: 

1. An epistolary novel or collection of letters.
2. An alternate history novel.
3. A book by a woman and/or AOC (Author of Color) that won a literary award in 2018.
4. A humor book.
5. A book by a journalist or about journalism.
6. A book by an AOC set in or about space.
7. An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America.
8. An #ownvoices book set in Oceania.
9. A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads.
10. A translated book written by and/or translated by a woman.
11. A book of manga.
12. A book in which an animal or inanimate object is a point-of-view character.
13. A book by or about someone that identifies as neurodiverse.
14. A cozy mystery.
15. A book of mythology or folklore.
16. An historical romance by an AOC.
17. A business book.
18. A novel by a trans or nonbinary author.
19. A book of nonviolent true crime.
20. A book written in prison.
21. A comic by an LGBTQIA creator.
22. A children’s or middle-grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009.
23. A self-published book.
24. A collection of poetry published since 2014

My Reading Plans

I already have ideas for the first six challenges.

And, initially I intended to complete challenges in the order presented on the list but the only book of letters I have access that can be considered a book of letters was Oscar Wilde: A Life in Letters.

I could not start my reading year with a white man. So, jumping ahead a little, I will return to Oscar (maybe) later in the year.

Therefore, instead of reading the Wilde letters, I will start my 2019 Read Harder challenge with number four, a humour book. After this long long period of being sick, I need a good laugh.  And, I found the right book (I hope). On Scribd, I will listen to Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay by Pheobe Robinson.

I will slowly share my updates throughout the year and let you know how I am getting on. I hope I can complete all 24 challenges but if happens, it happens.

Classics Challenge Again

Yup, not giving up on this.

It is a new year, and January is all about new beginnings so that also means new classics to read. 

My 2019 classics are: 

• Middlemarch by George Eliot.
• Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelly (second attempt).
• Eveline by Frances Burney.

If you are keen on revisiting classic literature this year, these resources may be helpful.

Also, do you want to join me and read along in my classics challenge in 2019?  

I will start my first classic, Middlemarch in February. And, if the classics are struggle to read, you can listen along as well.

January 2019 TBR

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Here are the books I hope to read in January 2019: 

• The Last Woman Standing By Amy Gentry – NetGalley advanced reader copy. I wished for this book and I my wish was granted. Special thanks to the publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sending this copy. This book was released on 15 January 2019. I read this book already, it was my first book of 2019.
• The Widows of Malabar Hill (Preveen Mistry #1) by Sujata Massey. Second book I completed this year, I loved this book, and I am excited for book two.
• My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite- the Book Blitz book club January pick (that I selected).
• New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color (an anthology) edited by Nisi Shawl – NetGalley advanced reader copy. Thanks to Solaris for giving me an advanced copy. New Suns will be released on 12 March 2019.
• Humour book for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge – Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson.

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And, that is it for me today, what about you?

What are your 2019 reading goals?  Taking on any new challenges in 2019? 

Are you participating in the Read Harder challenge? 

Until next time, happy reading!